Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-03-16

Horrors of the EARTHQUAKE.
A GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF THE RECENT sHoCl
ATNICE BY ONE WHO WAS THERE.


AT NICE BY ONE WHO WAS THERE.
The New York Herotd of the 9Th con-
tanned interviews with several gentlemen
who were in Nice at the time Of the earth
quakes there and at other points in the HI
Colonel Tone, began his narrative by de-
scribing the festivities of the carnival. He
told how the streets were filed with carri-
ages and pedestrians, pelting one another
| with flowers. All wore masks and cos
| tunes. The most beautiful ladies threw
| costly flowers into the faces of persons they
| had never seen. An ordinary Chicago clerk
| travelling for his health could pelt the face
of a duchess with roses and her husband
would only smile. For days the city was
given over to gayety. Confetti-a sort OF
Q .ndy-followed the flowers in showers. 1t
was romantic day and night until the last
day of the carnival. Then came the balls.
Seventy thousand people danced wildly all
that night far into the penitential morn OF
Ash Wednesday.
The night was filled with revelry. Balls
were held all over the city, but there were
90, 900 people at the one great ball OF the
night.
II went to that ball, and it was very late
when reached home" said Colonel Tone.
| 81 was quartered on the third floor OF the
Grand Hotel. Though it was nearly day
light could not sleep, and so lay in bed
reading book. Suddenly and without
warning roar more terrible than tornado
came. A thousand mines seemed exploding
under the floor and thousand trains OF cars
seemed rolling over the roof. The noise
was indescribable. 1t seemed as if the
world were being ground to pieces and the
city with it. The first shock threw me in
to the middle of the floor, which tipped up
like the roof of house. I tried to walk,
but was pitched headlong across the room.
The bed rolled from side to side and went
after it. l was shaken as strong man
shakes boy. AS soon as l could master
myself managed by great effort to reach
the door leading into Mr.. Burke's room adj
Looming. 1t was locked kicked and
pounded, but ia thai awful roar could only
Inst hear his voice. l shouted as loud as
could, and yelled that it was an earthquake
that we must fly to the street. we burst
open the double doors, and in some way, l
don't know how, got down stairs while the
walls, ten feet thick, were cracking with
artillery reports The scenes in the corri-
doris and on the floors below us were like a
} riot in a madhOuse.
Beautiful women, with long hair stream
ing down their backs, rushed wildly around.
beseeching the porters to save them. One
woman, who had been the belle of many a
great ball, appeared in single garment
with bird cage and two canaries. The
birds were so frightened that they hung
backs downward from their cage with their
eyes closed. The lady reached the street
where some one gave her wrap for her
shoulders; but she had no skirt. Having
experienced earthquakes in San Francisco,
1 r E. 4,
Nice the horror was beyond description
On the street the people lost their heads.
Fifty dollars were offered for any kind of a
vehicle. Hundreds of ladies in their night
garments fell on their knees before great
rough porters more frightened than them
+ selves. Money could not hire thsm to go
f into the buildings for trunks. We dragged
, down our own luggage and saved every
thing Twenty thousand people packed
: the public square.
| The second shock was more terrible than
the first. To tell the truth, could not re-
member whether it was two seconds or two
hours after the first shock. But it was a
fearful convulson. Then the panic became
general. Think of it-seventy thousand
people trying to dodge twenty thousand
buildings! Expected every moment to see
e the city fall in ruins. New York could not
3 stand minute under such shocks. The
great blocks of public buildings rose and
fell like ships in storm. The motion was
} unlike anything moved by natural laws
2 Gravitation seemed entirely suspended dur.
ing the throes My feet would be in the
t air and moment later could see the tops
, of feur-story houses as they leaned over on
the earth pillows sweeping across the city.
Fortunately for us, Mr.. Burke and my
self had purchased tickets for Paris on the
previous day. At the station we found
$4,000 people praying to go on the nex'
train. The cars holding seventy people
we're literally packed with humanity, but a
multitude who were outside could not get
near the train. AS high as 1,000f. were of
fered fer place on the train. The first
earthquake shock came at six o'clock. AT
, nine o'clock word was received by telegraph
that another shock from Rome or some 9th
er point would reach Nice in an hour. This
created fresh panic. Men in their excite
] ment shouldered half-dressed women, think
ing they were trunks Women ran around
trying TO save little trinkets, utterly beref
of sense or Judgment and imploring the
guards TO put them on the cars. The morn
ing train did not get off until noon. Then
? 1 was happy. An earthquake changes a
mans nature. l did not care whether the
town sank, with everybody in it, if could
get away. No more earthquakes for me
| Good NIGHT -